Bombogenesis – The Latest Storm Wreaking Havoc

First was the Polar Vortex, and now Bombogenesis – the names are getting stranger, most likely to match the crazy storms that have been pounding the northeast.

The post by Philadelphia meteorologist John Bolaris announced “Old Man Winter to Drop, Bombogenesis” is what some think got this newest storm term started.

Bombogenesis also derived its name from another weather term, cyclogenesis, which is just a fancy word for the origin of a cyclone.

Might be a strange word for a storm, but it’s a term meteorologists use to describe an area of low pressure that creates a rapidly intensifying storm, or cyclone, and gets stronger as it moves over the ocean, said Bob Oravec, a National Weather Service forecaster.

In order to have a bombogenesis effect, it takes a cold air mass meeting a warmer air mass. That can happen over water or land, and the East Coast is a prime spot during the winter months when the cold arctic air clashes with the warmer Gulf Stream waters, Oravec said.

The barometric pressure drops, driving the winds into overdrive and then the condensation clouds bring the snow or rain.